Glaceau Smart Water - Essay Example

Michelle Cotton Munro 28 January Glaceau Smart Water Glaceau, which also does business as Energy Brands, is a privately held subsidiary of the Coca-Cola Company. Glaceau, which is headquartered in Whitestone in New York City, both manufactures and distributes numerous lines of enhanced water. Glaceau was founded in 1996 by Darius Bikoff following the creation of Smartwater. Smartwater was developed through the incorporation of an electrolyte to create the enhanced line of water. Although Bikoff primarily owns and manages the company, Coca-Cola Company bought the organization as its independent subsidiary.

The company began by distributing Smartwater to independent retailers, as well as health food stores within the New York area. However, in 1998 and 2000, the company added Fruit water and Vitamin water, respectively, thereby expanding its distribution operations to the entire country. By the year 2002, Glaceau’s line of water was the best selling enhanced water brand in the US. In 2006, the bottle water division earned the organization revenues of approximately $350 million (Geller 1). The immense success realized in the US pushed the company to establish business globally by launching its products in Australia, Argentina, UK and France.

The source of Glaceau Smartwater is an artesian spring found in the Northern region of Connecticut. Since water naturally travels on the surface of the earth or through the ground, it picks up substances that naturally, as well as substances present as a result of human and animal activity. Glaceau Smartwater is, therefore, subjected to intricate distillation processes, which entail water purification (Glaceau 1). After distillation, the water bottling plant introduces, in the water, an approved balance of 10mg per liter of Potassium, Calcium and Magnesium, through the addition of electrolytes.

Smartwater is available in 20 oz, 700ml, 1 liter and 1.5 liter bottles. The cost of Smartwater is relatively cheap; a liter of Smartwater costs approximately $1.39, which is relatively cheap compared to a liter of whole fat milk is $2.26 and a liter of gasoline goes for $3.315. Clearly, the cost of Smartwater is hardly comparable to that of other essential products such as milk and gasoline. The primary reason for why I drink Glaceau Smartwater is because the water is loaded with the aforementioned minerals, which are essential to ensuring health and wellbeing.

I also drink the water because of its attractive bullet-shaped contained, which is essentially plastic with minimal breakage capacities. The conventional sport cap further reinforces Glaceau Smartwater’s image, making it immensely attractive. Smart water is a viable product for people who want to look and feel great while playing golf or tennis, working out at the gym since it supplements minerals lost through sweat. I also prefer taking Glaceau’s Smartwater because it consists of electrolytes, which are conventionally found in sports drinks such as Gatorade and Powerade.

Smartwater is particularly great for people such as athletes who take part in strenuous activities. In addition, Glaceau’s Smartwater is also crucial for people who suffer from foot cramps since electrolytes are recommended for people suffering from foot cramps (Aqua Maestro 1). This research raises issues such as the presence of contaminants in drinking water. Glaceau affirms that a vast majority of bottled water contain contaminants present in and on the earth surface. However, the company’s records of Smartwater show that its water contains negligible quantities of contaminants, which are not sufficient to cause serious health implications (Glaceau 1).

However, I am of the opinion that water bottling companies such as Glaceau should ensure superior water quality by obliterating all contaminants. I believe that consumers can be detrimentally affected by consuming small contaminant quantities over a prolonged period since these contaminants can accumulate in the body. Works CitedAqua Maestro. Glaceau Smartwater. Aqua Maestro. Web. 2005. Geller, M. “Coca-Cola to buy Glaceau for $4.1 billion.” Reuters. Web. 25 May. 2007.< http://www.reuters.

com/article/2007/05/25/us-coke-glaceau-idUSN2544359220070525> Glaceau. Smartwater Bottled Water Report as required by California SB 220. Glaceau. n.d. Web.